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O'Reilly's sheet music

Scores listed under O'Reilly's centre on jig settings, with titles including O'Reilly's Jig and The Rover's Return (O'Reilly's Jig). The selected versions all open in 6/8, but they divide between a three-sharp A major opening and two-sharp openings, so the key signature is the first practical difference to check when choosing sheet music. The listings do not establish a single definitive version or a verified composer attribution.

Scores 1–20 of 31

Sheet music

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What the available O'Reilly's scores contain

One score is headed O'Reilly's Jig; another pairs The Rover's Return with O'Reilly's Jig; a third is titled Traditional music - Rover's Return, O'Reilly's. All three open in 6/8. The first opens with three sharps (A major), while the other two open with two sharps, one of them explicitly labelled D major.

Title variants and tune identity

Treat the titles as leads and compare the opening notes, key and phrase structure before assuming two settings are interchangeable.

Choosing between the keys

The clearest practical difference among the selected scores is the opening key: one has three sharps and an A major label, while two have two-sharp openings, with one identified as D major. If you are playing with other musicians, match their key first; then compare the melody and phrase lengths to see how closely the settings correspond.

Reading the 6/8 jig notation

A 6/8 time signature is compound duple: there are two main beats in a bar, each normally divided into three eighth notes. That lilting division is central to jig rhythm, and it is the rhythmic framework shared by the selected O'Reilly's scores.

Scores to open first

Related collections

Common questions

What is O'Reilly's in this sheet music collection?

O'Reilly's is the tune name used for several jig listings, including O'Reilly's Jig and The Rover's Return (O'Reilly's Jig). The scores are presented as traditional or miscellaneous tunes rather than as a signed composition, and the listings do not give a consistent composer attribution.

Is O'Reilly's Jig the same tune as The Rover's Return?

Compare the opening notes, key and phrase structure before treating the settings as interchangeable.

What time signature does O'Reilly's use?

All three selected O'Reilly's jig scores open in 6/8. In 6/8 there are two main beats per bar, each normally divided into three eighth notes, which gives the compound-duple feel associated with a jig.

Which key is O'Reilly's Jig in?

The selected O'Reilly's Jig score opens with three sharps, indicating A major. Two related listings, including The Rover's Return (O'Reilly's Jig), open with two sharps; one of those is explicitly labelled D major. Check the key signature before choosing a version to play with others.

Is a composer credited for O'Reilly's?

Composer credits are not consistent across the O'Reilly's listings: two selected scores show no composer, while one carries 'Trad.-Buddy MacMaster Ashley MacIsaac Donny LeBlanc' in the composer field. That is not enough to establish authorship of the tune, so treat the credit as a lead to verify rather than a confirmed attribution.

How should I choose an O'Reilly's arrangement?

Start with the key signature and title. If you need to play with a group, match their key: the selected settings differ between a three-sharp A major opening and two-sharp openings. Then compare the melody and phrase lengths, because the titles alone do not show whether the settings are identical.